Changeable sign



J. P. COSGROVE AND Wl l. ONEILL.

CHANGEABLE SIGNL, APPLICATION f lL'ED AUG.8 1921.

ATTY UNITED STATES JOI-IN l. COSGROVE AND WILLIAM J PATENT ,oFIfilcrll.v

. ONEILL, 0F ORANGE, NEW JERSEY. l

CHANGEABLE SIGN.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.4, 19,22.

Application filed August 8, 1921. Serial No. 490,514.

To all ifi/1,0m, t may concern Be it known that we, JOHN l). (loser-:ovm

and YVILLIAM J. ONEILL, citizensci' the suchmatter usually comprising terse phrases descriptive ot' the goods advertised, to gether with the price per unitV oit the same. In some lines of merchandise, certain descriptive terms havecome t0 be adopted to indicate quality, kind or grade; for eX- ample,.in the meat trade, under the generic term been we have sirloin ot, prime ribs of, short ribs et, porterhouse, filet otfyetc. The practice is so extensive as to be .nearly general, to have thesigns painted upon sheets of paper to be hung in the 'store window, and discarded and others substituted as and whenV the, price of the article changes4 or it is desired to run some other article, or a different grade or brand of the saine article..I The making of new signs becomes very expensive and adds much te the overhead expense of the business, ivhile the delay in pnocuring them is often more inconvenient than their expense would seem to warrant. i

In order to overcome these delays and inconveniences, as well as to effect a great saving .in the ultimate cost of such signs, we have designed a system off signs wherein the generic term or name of the article to be advertised permanently printed, painted or otherwise aiiiXed to the sign, while change strips bearing the descriptive terms are provided tor attachment to the sign; price numerals are also provided. so that each when made -up is self-contained and carries full information concerning the advertised article. The specific means for attaching the change strips to the sign, so that they will not jar loose or become detached forms one oi' the features ci. our invention, since drafts of air are likely to sway the signs, or they may be carelessly struck or moved about by people passing in their vicinity.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating our invention,

Fig. i isl a front view ot a sign made up to advertise a particulaikind ofiveal. y

F ig. 2 shows aseries ot change strips having other descriptive terms thereonl but all applicable to veal. Alsoa series of numerals to indicate price per unit. f

Fig. is a rear view of the sign.

Fig. t is a vertical section.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sections of different forms of fastening devices for securing the change strips to the sign.

Fig. 8 .is a front view of the form shown in Fig. 7.

-F igs. 9 and l() are fragmentary rear views showing diiicerent forms of strip vfastening slots. Y

Fig. 1l is a front view of asign showing yprovision for two lines of changev strips, as

may be required tor some classes ot mer` chandise.

Fig. l2 shows. aV series oi'l change strips particularlyl applicable to the signofFig. il. Similar reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawing. r y y Thebody of the ysign `consists vrof a sheet oit.' metal, Celluloid or other suitable material as l, having its manginsturned` over a stiifening wire 2 which is. bent to, contorni tothe shape ot the sheet, and providedwith a loop 3' extending through the margin, and by whichthesign may be suspended;` Upon the tace et the sign the naine ofthe particular article to be advertisedis printed or painted in prominent letters as aft 4l, while such characters as it lb? gt d'ozf7 etc., or any other denominational character tol represent price per unit of quantity are pci'- manently painted or printed upon the sheet, as indicated at 5, 6. It desired, any other appropriate descriptive matter .may be permanently printed upon they sheet as at 7,

Since nearly every article of merchandise .is made up in various grades or qualities, many 0i which are on sale at the same or at different times, the speciiic matter upon the sign to properly describe the article offered must be so arranged and periodically changed to meet the conditions of trade. Prices of the article may also change Jfrom time to time, and it is necessary to provide the sign With means for indicating such change.

In order that such changes may be made in the descriptive matter, we have provided Y yieldingl pressure upon y Vist fis 1 as providedwith a Viugm strips .8 of the material of which the sign is made, and have printed thereon the various descriptive terms customarily applied to the article offered for sale, and also a duplicate series of numeral strips 9, to be fastened upon the sheet at their appropriate places, as shown, `so complete information respecting the article offered is given thereon.

The methods of fastening the may be various. For example: -sided slits 10 may be cut or punched in the body of the sheet l, and the tang ll formed thereby1 bent backwardly so as to leave a narrow slot opening downwardly from front to back with a slight depression in the face ofthe sheet, which) serves as a guide for the hook shaped tang l2 upon the strip 8 or 9. The tang ll bears upon the tang 12, when in place and so firmly holds the strip.

In Figs. 6 and 10, we have shown the sheet horizontal slit 13 and the end slits 14, forming two tangs`15, 16, which are slightly bent as shown to form an open slot 17, into which thel tang V18' is iii`- serted. In this case, the tang i5 bears with the tang IS, and firmly lds 'it in place.

In Figs. 7 A'and 8, We have shown the strip fastening means as comprising a headed yrivet 19 secured to the sheet l, and the apertured tang 20 'upon the strip 2l, jhooked over saidy rivet. f

It is understood that the long VstripsrS are to be provided with at least two supporting tangs,while the numeral strips, being nearly square, require not morethan one tang each f for their stable support.

` If desired, provision may be made for two or more descriptivestrips 8 for any particular article, as shown in Figs. ll and 12.

While we have shown oursign as containatter relating to meat and eggs, it will be understood that this isl illustrative only, since it may be used for any article of merchandise.y It is particularly adapted for use in meat, vegetable, grocery and hardware stores, and may be advantageously used to describe the various dishes and foods in restaurants. Its use has been found to ma* terially reduce the usual cost of display signs which are designed to be used only once o r that when the sign is made up,

strips 8, 9

that it is susceptible of such ornament as the p skill of the maker may suggest.

We claim 1. In a sign, the combination of a sheet of metal having a reinforced margin, generic terms applicable to a particular article of merchandise printed thereon, strips of sheet metal each having printed thereon a specific descriptive term applicable to said merchandise, and means for separably attaching said strips to said sheet comprising a hookshaped tang upon each of the strips and a receiving slot therefor in said sheet, said slot having a resilient upper wall to bear with yielding pressure upon the face of said tang to hold the same in place.

In a sign, the combination of a sheet of metal, generic terms applicable to a particular article of merchandise printed upon `said sheet of metal, a strip of sheet metal having printed thereon specific terms applicable to said merchandise, and means for separably attaching said stripsupon the aceof said sheet comprising a hook-shaped tang upon said strip 'and a receiving slit therefor in said sheet saidslitbeing formed witha rel said sheet to bear with yielding pressure the same in place.V f

3. Means for attaching change` strips to sheet metal signs comprising a hook-shaped tang upon and projecting from the :of each of the strips, and a receiving slot t ere-VV for in said sign,'one wall of said Vslot being Vresilient to bear with yielding pressure upon the face of Vsaid tan p 4. Means for attaciliing change strips to sheet metalsigns comprising a hook-shaped tang upon and project'ng from the edge of said strip, and a receiving said sign, said slot being a 3-sided slit in said sign and bending the tang formed thereby out of the plane of said signto form a guide and yielding bear ing for directing said strip tang to and retaining the same in place.

JOHN P. COSGROVE. WILLIAM J. ONEILL.

silient wall depressed out of the plane of slot therefor in Y formed by cutting. 

